Monday, December 31, 2007

Madame Librarian....Marian



Do you remember the movie...The Music Man? Well there is this scene in the library where the Music Man declares his love to Marian, the librarian. Well, I have only seen the movie once, but I have to tell you, anytime I come to work at the library, that song comes to my head and I hum it. I thought I would get over it but it has been 4 months and it still kicks in when I get here. But I have to say I am surprised at what you can do at your local library and the programs they offer.

For example, at my library, you can take Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Digital Photography and Computer Basics classes.....for free!!! And you can take them as often as you like.

There is an online database for family heritage that has records from way back when. And if your family came via Ellis Island and they signed in, you can get a copy of the page of where they signed in....all for free. Need information about a company? Check out Reference USA in our database and you can get their financials, home office information, gross income etc. What if you want some stock information? Check out ValueLine, we have a paid subscription to it so you don't have to pay. There is this series of books that you heard about and you can't remember the name or author of any of the books...check out Novelist and you can type in the plot line and it will give you a list of books that meet that description. Narrow your search to books in a series and wahla....you found what you are looking for.

Our Young Adults have a whole area to themselves. 12 computers dedicated to them and a reference librarian if they need help searching for information. The teachers can email her before the projects are given out so that she can be prepared for their questions. They also have an anime club, the traveling pants club, they make Christmas cards, eat chocolate from a chocolate fountain ( not all the time) and play Runescape all day long.

We have study rooms that you can reserve for up to 4 people at a time for up to two hours. Some tutors rent our rooms all evening (under the students names) and run their tutor business from here. We have meeting rooms that fit 150+ people and it can be reserved all day and for free!!

Did you know you can check ebooks via the library and audiobooks? It's true. I know Iknow...I didn't know it either until I started working here.

Let me encourage you to check out your local library, you will be amazed at what you can do there.

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